


A Supposed Last Meal

by AHeartForStories



Series: AHeartForStories' Febuwhump 2021 [7]
Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: Family Drama, Family Feels, FebuWhump2021, Febuwhump, Gen, Hiccup Whump, Poisoning, Whump, stoick whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-17 03:20:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29343453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AHeartForStories/pseuds/AHeartForStories
Summary: Written for Febuwhump Day 7. Set during RoB/DoB. A simple meal takes a sudden turn for the worst when a tainted meal is given to the Chief of Berk.
Relationships: Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III & Stoick the Vast, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III & Toothless, Stoick the Vast & Toothless
Series: AHeartForStories' Febuwhump 2021 [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2137413
Comments: 4
Kudos: 37
Collections: febuwhump 2021





	A Supposed Last Meal

**Author's Note:**

> Febuwhump prompt: "Poisoning"
> 
> It's three days too late, but have it anyway! A whump prompt with a little twist!
> 
> Constructive criticism is appreciated.  
> Enjoy!

"I could make the connecting rod thinner, but I also can't make it too thin, because then we risk Toothless bending it mid-flight." Throughout the evening, Hiccup has been telling his father all about his endeavors to help Toothless fly faster and faster.

"Sounds complicated," Stoick responds, only just able to follow along with what his son has been saying.

once upon a time, he might've refused to have such talk and they would've spent their dinner in silence, but that has changed.

"I guess? Maybe? Not really." He gazes down at his son as he talks with such confidence. If there is anything Hiccup can be this confident in, it's his skill for inventing.

"I just need to find that perfect balance between strength and speed and I think we're getting closer to that by the day." He's been discussing his plans for Toothless' prosthetic tailfin for so long that he's forgotten to eat.

A sentiment he doesn't share with his dragon, who has finished his meal long ago and sits next to his Rider, head on the table as he listens.

His plate cold, with no chances of him eating anything anyway in his excitement, and not willing to waste any good food, Stoick has taken his plate from him to eat himself. He's been through enough famines, he knows the value of not wasting food.

Hiccup doesn't protest, if he even notices. His father has asked him if he planned on finishing it, but he was too preoccupied to even hear him.

"And when you find that balance?" Stoick asks after swallowing a bite.

"Toothless will be able to fly faster than he's ever flown before!" Or since his tail was taken, at least. Building the dragon's speed back up to what it used to be has been a slow process, but they're getting there. Hiccup can't wait to reach it.

Joy radiates off the boy and dragon and it's enough that Stoick wants to ignore the growing tightness of his stomach in favor of hearing some more.

"And then, of course, Astrid's going to want to compete with us and prove that Stormfly can still keep up." Hiccup says while shrugging in one of the very rare times that he's timid. If there is something that can make the boy act this way, it certainly is mentioning his friend and crush to his dad.

Stoick chuckles heartily.

"She's very competitive that one. Good! She'll keep you on your toes!" He compliments the girl's spirit and takes a big gulp from his drink.

"Keep me on my toes? For-for what?" Hiccup asks, averting his gaze and scratching in his hair as he knows, he would rather play dumb than admit to his crush.

"For when you two get married, of course!"

"Dad! Astrid and I are just friends!"

"Ah yes, just friends. I, too, kiss my friends full on the lips." Stoick jokes as he takes another big gulp. Something is knotting his stomach together and he'd hoped to wash it down, but he's not so lucky.

Hiccup would've rolled his eyes at that if he didn't notice his father pushing his plate away, which seems strange to him. Much like his friends, Fishlegs and Snotlout, the chief usually has quite the appetite as well.

"Dad, are you okay? You haven't finished my food yet." Okay, so maybe he saw it more as an opportunity to be funny first than something to be worried about.

When his dad gives him a neutral grunt instead of retorting with a lecture about the importance of not letting a meal go to waste, however, he does feel a little bit worried.

A hand comes to lay itself over his mouth and though he hides it well from Hiccup, there's a burning sensation in his mouth.

It started out small on his tongue, now it's enveloping the entire inside of his mouth.

He's feeling increasingly more nauseous, too, like he may actually begin to throw up. It's a very worrying turn of events and the suddenness of it certainly doesn't help.

Is it the food? Did he eat something bad? Everything was just fine until he started on Hiccup's... Stoick's gaze quickly moves to the plate, only halfway finished.

Could it be?

Now's not the time to worry, he feels weak and his heart palpitates within his chest.

"Dad?" Hiccup, observant as the lad is, notices that something must be terribly wrong, despite his father's best efforts to hide his troubled condition from him. Toothless can see it, too, and he whines at the man.

When Stoick leans with an elbow on the table before him and covers his eyes with his hand, a headache is brewing inside his skull, Hiccup gets up from his seat.

Toothless follows his example, standing up and waiting wearily for what's to come next.

"Dad, what do I do?" He asks, the panic wanting to break free, but not doing so as he keeps his level-head successfully.

Stoick can see the concern in his gaze.

"You can go get Gothi." And it's not just because he's going to need her expertise. In case things do get much worse, Stoick doesn't want his son to see any of it.

Hiccup nods quickly before he turns and races towards the door. When his hand touches the handle, his father calls to him again.

"And take Toothless with you!" He calls after him breathlessly, but Toothless is already following his Rider out.

"Okay, dad, we'll be quick!" Hiccup assures Stoick and the dragon croons something similar.

Good. Stoick wouldn't want his son out there all alone, because, for some reason, his son's food was poisoned.

The door closes behind them and the Chief sighs a breath of relief before it's stolen away by a painful cramp. He's left alone with his thoughts.

Admittedly, maybe it was strange when they came home and found a cooked meal waiting for them, in hindsight. The only reason why Stoick didn't suspect a thing is because Gobber told him dinner would be on him that evening.

Although, he did inform his friend later in the day that he wouldn't be able to eat with him and his apprentice after all because he might be too busy in the forge.

But then they did come home to a warm meal and Stoick had trusted that Gobber was the one who put it there before leaving again. There are no reports of any suspicious activity that he's aware of, no Outcast or unmarked boats in their waters, the dragons didn't act odd, he had no reason to assume anybody but Gobber had put that food there.

Clearly, that wasn't the case.

As his symptoms worsen and Stoick has to seek support with the table before him, struggling not to vomit, he doesn't worry. He's a stubborn man and he won't let a little poison kill him. And he's a big man, the amount intended to use on someone as small as Hiccup probably won't be as effective on him.

Besides, he has more important things to do than to die. He has to find out who tried to assassinate his son. When he does find out, he will kill the one responsible.


End file.
